One Year
by BrokenKestral
Summary: Twelve 100-word drabbles revolving around one year.


A/N: I joined fanfiction . net a year ago today, and I wanted to practice concise writing. So here's twelve 100-word one-shots referencing a year. I'm also aware I took some liberties with time - for instance, Lucy and Edmund were with their aunt and uncle for a summer, I think, not a year. I have altered that for this exercise.

Disclaimer: my claim to Narnia is like my claim to time; I experience it, but in no way own it. There are times when it owns me more than the other way round, though.  
**Updated 08/14/19 to reformat the breaks between months and the spacing, on the advice of Anonymousme. Thank you for the input!**

* * *

January: the Beginning

The news reported the war would end within a year when Professor Digory Kirk opened his home for children sent away from the bombed cities. He would, of course, quite gladly let them stay longer if needed, but he prayed with all his strength for this war to end in a year. He was sure his housekeeper would quite agree with his prayers after experiencing looking after children. She wasn't the maternal type, but she was the type to do her duty without complaint. We can give one year, he thought. It won't be a large interruption of our lives.

* * *

February: the Mud Before Spring

Eustace Clarence Scrub was busy writing in his diary. Under the title _Goals for the year_ he had an impressive yet concise list of the things that thoroughly irritated his cousins Edmund and Lucy. There was a sub-list titled _Ways to annoy / train one's roommate_, where he made sure to write _Go through his things_; he'd forgotten last time. A third list of all the things he'd overheard about their ridiculous Narnia, which was a great weak point. He paused, grinning. He couldn't wait to see how much longer the lists would be at the end of this particular year.

* * *

March: a Month of Change

It didn't make any sense. The four of them were, indisputably, in Narnia; even back at Cair Paravel. But the Cair was different. _Impossibly_ different. It unnerved the Just King. After one year, he'd expect to come back and find an elderly Tumnus sitting in his favorite breakfast parlor with eggs and toast, waiting for a bit of company; their friends, shouting welcomes, reaching to touch them, after that one lost year. But Tumnus's parlor had large tree branches growing through a broken window, and Cair Paravel mourned its echoing emptiness.

These changes couldn't have happened in just one year.

* * *

April: Showers and Seas

With Aslan's approval, the sea-loving king, Caspian, the Tenth of that name, did hereby swear an oath to spend a year at sea, seeking the seven lords whose love for his father had led to their banishment, once peace reigned in Narnia on all sides.

Well, a year and a day. He couldn't forget the day. But his heart pounded, his hands itched, and his face grinned with the anticipation of a whole year at sea. For one full year, he would be living the most exciting, incredible life–

"It'll probably rain the whole year," the Marshwiggle beside him predicted.

* * *

May: Going a-Courting

Lucy was hiding in the gardens. Hiding, because on her birthday a nymph had asked (unintentionally, Lucy was sure) a bothersome question: was she ready to come of age next year?

Lucy remembered Susan's coming of age; it'd been a lovely day. But the next morning, when the first suitor arrived, the four realized the implications.

Lucy didn't want that. She loved having friends, but suitors didn't want to be _friends_. And now, the faun reminded her, she had only _one year_ where she didn't have to wonder if someone was trying to be friends – or trying to be a bother.

* * *

June: a Month for Traveling

"Make sure to watch out for Mum and Dad," Peter said. The four were in her and Lucy's bedroom, sitting on Lucy's bed, Susan's being strewn with clothes and a suitcase. "Mum really needs this holiday."

"She hasn't had one in too long," Lucy agreed, fingers tapping the wooden headboard.

Susan looked up from folding a dress. She knew that look; she knew her _siblings_. It wasn't just their parents they worried for. "It's only goodbye for one year," she reminded them. She looked at Peter, tall, strong, even with sorrow in his eyes. "One year, and I'll be home."

* * *

July: a Month of Freedom

We celebrated - Bree, Hwin, Cor, and I - on the day we'd lived in the North for one year. But I celebrated, secretly, weeks before.

The day one year since I was told to marry that two-tongued flatterer, Ahosta Tarkaan. One year since I thought to be a corpse, rendering my soul to Zardeenah, or else married to a groveling monkey of a man, faugh! But 'tis one year later, and I am free. Free, to marry as I wish. Free, to befriend even Archenland royalty.

Free, to render soul and body and life to the Lion.

I am free indeed.

* * *

August: School Begins

Dear Lucy,

I can't believe it's been a year since Narnia. Remember last hols, when we told you about all the changes taking place at this school, and Susan said they'd changed the people, but changing habits and lifestyles takes time? I look at the year and see she was right. The new Head got new teachers, but our lessons (and Eustace says, the sports) were still a muddled mess. It's not like when Aslan changes people. But it's a year later and better. There's even talk of archery lessons, and I might take those. You know, to practice. Anyway...

* * *

September: The Month People Pass Over

Peter forgot this anniversary. Last year Susan reminded him, but this year she was in America and couldn't. Each of the siblings had anniversaries like this, a day where the others needed to be near, to touch them, hear them, see them move and breathe and _live_. Peter remembered only after Edmund dreamed, grabbing him, _refusing_ to let go, when Peter went to wake him. And Lucy came, clinging to his shirt. He remembered suddenly, the one year he'd been gone, fighting giants. When he'd come home, his siblings weren't sure he lived. He'd never left for a year again.

* * *

October: Halloween's Ghosts

A teacher, Polly loved the school year. Except for one holiday. She hated Halloween.

Many children loved it, but there were always at least two (at least) hysterical ones. She took them aside, explained calmly and kindly that monsters did not exist, and then kept them from eating too much sugar.

She didn't mind explaining. It was part of teaching, after all, to help them face their fears. But she remembered another place, a place where a monster did exist. Jadis. She remembered the year she'd seen magic and monsters for real.

The one year she would always, always remember.

* * *

November: A Winter Month

I wasn't supposed to hear what the doctor said about mother. But the doctor and father were in the hallway, before he went to India. "One year," the doctor said. "I'm afraid she only has about one year." We moved to London soon after. We had to, Father said. We didn't have money for anything else. And Father had to go away, and Mother and I would stay with family.

But I could see it in Father's face. If mother only had - if there was only one year, both of us wished she could have stayed where she was happy.

* * *

December: The End

"About half an hour later-or it might have been half a hundred years later, for time there is not like time here-Lucy stood with her dear friend, her oldest Narnian friend, the Faun Tumnus (1)." In that moment was the likeness of past years. In that moment was memory. In that moment was the understanding that a year, a single year, which had again and again changed so much in their past, did not hold that power anymore, for here, time itself flowed only towards good things, and good lives. Time itself was the blessing it was first made to be.

(1) Quoted from the last chapter of The Last Battle.

* * *

Response to Anonymousme: Yes, I've read all of Traitor's Game. I actually read a lot of fanfiction before creating a username and starting to review; some of the stories therefore only have reviews on the end. And I would have been asking if you were Irish, so thanks for clarifying that! :)


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